Magical Theory
by Aurora West
Summary: Telemain has something to tell Morwen, but can he work up the nerve? Takes place at the end of Talking to Dragons. Oneshot. [TelemainMorwen]
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any of this, I'm just playing.

1

"If I have to continue lying on this floor -- which is cold, hard, and extremely uncomfortable -- you'll have to put up with me a lot longer than that!"

Telemain wasn't sure what had possessed him to say it. It was a sentiment that was far too close to his actual feelings on this particular matter to _ever_ say aloud. Yet there it was, hanging between them. Had it been because of the pain? Had the blasted sword injury made him stupid? Maybe it was just the fact that she was _there_, after so long. And she was so close. Too close. It made him say things that he only ever said to himself. And only when he was careless with his thoughts.

But what was even worse than the fact that he'd _said_ such a thing was her response -- that strange look on her face, and the strained, "I'l consider the idea carefully."

The magician shifted carefully in his bed in order to stare gloomily at the door. She'd fussed over him after that and gotten him settled, but he couldn't help feeling as though she was trying to make a graceful exit. Not just from the room, either -- from their friendship. From his life.

This last thought managed to draw a small snort from him. He knew he was being maudlin and ridiculous, but somehow he couldn't help it. It was this wound he'd gotten. Cuts from swords had a way of making a man aware of his own mortality. He certainly wasn't young anymore -- fifty was drawing closer and closer -- and while being a magician lengthened his life somewhat beyond what was natural, it still didn't make him _young._ It also didn't make him immune to regular lethal forces.

He couldn't remember the last time an injury had made him think so much about his own life (and he'd had plenty, in his profession). There was a niggling feeling in the back of his mind that he'd missed out on something by devoting himself so much to his work. Solitude was quite good for research and invention, but there was something to be said for having a little company...

The door creaked open and a short, pretty woman with ginger hair and glasses entered. She was carrying a tray with a bowl and two mugs on it. "How are you feeling?" she asked him.

"Fine," Telemain answered. It was impossible for him to tell what she was thinking, and it almost looked as though she was trying to keep a carefully blank look on her face. "I can't pretend my shoulder doesn't hurt a bit, but it feels much better than it did earlier thanks to you."

She looked pleased. "Good. Are you hungry? I brought soup and tea for you." At his nod, she brought the tray over to a table beside the bed and helped him to sit up. After situating the tray in front of him, she asked, "Do you mind if I join you?"

Telemain kept his expression neutral. "Not at all. If you don't have anything else to do I'd be glad for the company."

Morwen gave him a small smile that made his stomach lurch. "I'm finding myself to be increasingly in the way outside. There are so many reunions and revelations going on that it's hard to find a quiet place." She sat down and took a sip of tea. "The Royal Family has things well in hand, though."

"Yes, I imagine. I always wondered how Cimorene dealt with only having her son to oversee for sixteen years."

"Oh, a son is quite enough to oversee, I would think."

"I suppose you're right."

While he ate and she drank, Telemain studied Morwen discreetly. He had known her for so long but he didn't think he'd ever been able to properly just _look_ at her before. She was about his age but she'd lost none of her beauty. She still wore her hair piled on top of her head, though usually not a wisp was out of place. Today there were strands hanging around her face and curling in a way that he couldn't help but find adorable. He supposed the spell she used was wearing a little thing, what with the battle earlier that day, and that she'd fix it soon, but he wished she wouldn't. _That_, however, was a thought he'd keep to himself.

"Are you sure you're feeling all right?" Morwen asked him, a note of concern in her voice. "I don't think I've ever seen you so quiet."

"I'm fine," he said simply. At least she was still worried about him. If his earlier idiotic comment had unnerved her, it hadn't caused her to leave the castle immediately.

Scrutinizing him for a moment, she said, "Good. You'll tell me if something's wrong? You won't pretend you've recovered just so you can leave earlier?"

"Yes to the first question, no to the second," Telemain replied with a smile.

There was a long silence while the two of them fiddled with their mugs. Then, almost reluctantly, Morwen said, "Well, I'd better see if I'm needed for anything."

"Oh. All right." Telemain tried to keep the disappointment out of his voice. "There isn't really anything you can do for me right now anyway." Except to stay. Preferably forever.

Getting to her feet and moving to the door, she said, "I'll send in one of the cats in case you need anything." For a moment, she lingered on the threshold, then quietly shut the door behind her as she exited.

It was hard for Telemain to tell how long he'd felt...that way...about Morwen. They'd grown up together in a kingdom beyond the Mountains of Morning. Being a couple years younger than him, she'd shadowed him eagerly for a time, which only annoyed him at that age. Later they'd been at school together and while he devoted himself to the theoretical, she became adept at the practical side of magic. They also, along the way, became quite good friends, helping each other with their studies and through their teenage years. Then school had ended and they'd gone their separate ways. Morwen had moved to the Enchanted Forest and Telemain had gone to the Mountains of Morning to test the properties of windows under differing enchantments. That had occupied him for several years, with no time for anything else. Afterwards, he'd begun researching wizards, but he was interrupted very shortly by the arrival of Cimorene and Mendanbar and the ensuing hostilities between the wizards and dragons (which, truth be told, _did_ provide excellent research opportunities).

It was at that point that, quite unexpectedly, Morwen had reentered his life. He was glad to have her there again. Of course, his personality being what it was, they gradually fell out of regular contact once again, despite the fact that they both lived in the Enchanted Forest. Part of it, he had to admit to himself, was because he knew how he felt about her and he didn't _want_ anything to come of it. His research had always come first in his life, and he knew that Morwen's work was almost as important to her. If he were to give his feelings free rein, he feared he'd never be able to do the research that he managed living his solitary existence. And maybe that was true. Perhaps he'd never invent another spell in his life.

Telemain paused in his thinking for a minute. No, that would probably never happen. Perhaps, then it would take three times as long to invent a new spell. And he wouldn't be able to devote his days entirely to research. But if Morwen were a bigger and more important part of his life, then...well, that would be fine. And, of course, there was a lot to be said for being with someone who was just as interested in magical theory as he was.

At that moment, the door opened a crack and a calico cat slunk in. She gave him a look as though she knew exactly what he was thinking about. "I don't suppose _you_ know what I should do?" Telemain asked her.

The cat simply gave him a nonplussed look and jumped up on the bed, curling up at his feet to go to sleep.

"I didn't think so," the magician muttered. Then, figuring he'd only be scolded if he didn't try to sleep, he closed his eyes and drifted off almost immediately.


	2. Chapter 2

2

When he awoke the next morning, he found himself able to sit up. He could tell the bandages on his shoulder had been changed sometime during the night and wondered how Morwen had done it without waking him. The cats had to have had something to do with it. Someday soon he'd have to study cats' magic. He couldn't think of any prominent research on it.

Moving his shoulder around experimentally and finding that it didn't hurt too badly, he decided to try standing up. He got to his feet with no problem except for a little shakiness from being bedridden for the past day. The standing up went so well, in fact, that he decided to try using his arm.

That, however, turned out _not_ to be a very good idea, and he yelled in pain just as the door opened.

"Telemain, _what_ are you _thinking_?" Morwen demanded. She rushed to his side and helped him back into bed, ignoring his protests that he was perfectly capable of sitting down, it was just his _shoulder_ that hurt. When she had him settled back in to her satisfaction, she quirked an eyebrow at him and remarked, "I take that to mean you're feeling better this morning."

"I am, but I'm starting to wonder if I can't trust how I feel, since you've been telling me that I _should_ be feeling worse."

"Nonsense," Morwen said. "I'm only worried about you. I don't want more damage to come about as a result of that wound."

Telemain met her eyes. "You're worried about me?"

She colored slightly. "Of course I am. You're my friend. I couldn't bear it if something happened to you." After a brief pause, she added, "And clearly I need to protect you from yourself."

"That would be a full-time job." As soon as the words left his mouth, Telemain groaned inwardly. Yet another awkward statement.

"Yes," Morwen said softly. "Yes, I suppose it would be." She looked like she wanted to say more, but she simply closed her mouth and looked at him.

"Er." He cleared his throat. "Um. That is..."

"I should go help Cimorene," Morwen said quickly. "There's sixteen years' worth of cleaning to be done, after all."

"Oh, right. Yes," was somehow all he could managed to get out before she left.

That had been stupid. Things were becoming strained between them. He needed to just tell her how he felt and if she rebuffed him, then that would be that. But at least then he would _know_ and this nearly twenty-years dance could be over.

He would tell her. Next time she came to check on him, he would tell her how he felt.

Unfortunately, he hadn't counted on her reentering the room almost immediately. "I'm sorry," she said. "I don't know what came over me..." She seemed to steel herself and looked directly at him. "You seemed like you wanted to say something."

"Er...well, yes," Telemain stammered. He couldn't ever remember being this at a loss for words. "I'd like to sit up, though, if that's all right." Silently, she helped him to do so. "Morwen," he began, wondering where to go from there. She just looked at him expectantly through her glasses. "I've been thinking quite a bit over the last day about my life and my work and about...well...our friendship." He paused to gauge her reaction, but her expression was unreadable. "I realized yesterday that there's something I should have done a long time ago."

When he fell silent, Morwen prompted, "Yes? What is it?"

"Something I need to tell you." Telemain swallowed. "Ever since I saw you again in the Enchanted Forest, I've felt...that is...I think...um...I'm..."

"In love?" she suggested quietly.

"Yes!" He couldn't keep the relief out of his voice. With his good arm, he took her hand "I've loved you for a very long time, Morwen."

For a moment she remained silent, just looking at him with thoughtful eyes. Eventually, she said, "I wondered how long it would take you to tell me."

Telemain blinked in surprise. "You knew?"

Laughing and giving him a helpless look, Morwen said, "Oh, you hopeless man, I've been waiting for years to hear those words."

His stomach was performing happy somersaults but he couldn't help giving her a nonplussed look and saying pointedly, "I haven't heard them yet."

Morwen sat down next to him on the bed, taking care not to bump his shoulder. "I love you, too."

Without thinking about it, he reached up with his good arm, pulled her close, and kissed her enthusiastically. After a wonderfully long but somehow still too-short moment, they separated. "There's one more thing," Telemain said to her.

"And what's that?"

"I was wondering," he began carefully, "if you'd considered putting up with me for much longer?"

"I've been thinking about it," Morwen replied, a smile tugging at her lips.

"And?"

"And," she said, "I accept your proposal." She kissed his forehead and added, "As long as you're willing to take in all the cats."

"Bring as many cats as you want." Telemain paused to think for a moment. "Actually, you do fascinating inter-species magical conjunctures with your cats. It would be an excellent research opportunity --"

Morwen snorted. "Telemain, I'll love you either way, but right now, would you rather discuss magical theory or celebrate our engagement?"

"I suppose there'll be plenty of time to theorize another time," he said hastily. Then, gladly, he pulled her close for another kiss.


End file.
